Hollow (Harry Styles) #Wattys2016

Chapter 17

Song:

Two Lovers: Mary Wells

A.J.'s POV

I walked aimlessly down the street, I couldn't think straight. All I knew was that I needed to get as far away from this place as possible. I fought the tears that threatened to slip out of my eyes, I knew that if i let just one slip it would be a never ending story of tears. Aside from a few tears after reading a book or watching a movie, I hadn't really cried in so long and I wasn't about to end my streak for, Harry. But, the further I got down the street, the stronger my urge to cry grew.

"Hey, wait up," I heard a male voice calling from behind me.

I ignored it, I didn't want to stop, I just wanted to disappear. I quickened my pace, which was useless, because whoever was behind me did the same, catching up with me in a few strides. "Hey," I recognized the voice as, Stephen's. "Are you okay?" He asked as he turned me around, gently.

"I'm fine," I lied with a fake smile that I had mastered long ago. "I'm just tired and want to get home," Which was true, half true anyway.

"Planning on walking the entire way?" He questioned suspiciously.

He was right, my house had to be at least twenty minutes away from here, by car, but it if it weren't so cold and I had a decent pair of shoes, I wouldn't have minded running home. "I was just going to get some coffee or hot chocolate first," I lied, remembering there was a diner not far from here.

"Do you need a ride?"

"No, I'm fine," I lied once again. "I'll call a taxi when I'm ready."

"Nonsense, it's late, I'll take you home it's no problem," he insisted.

A small part of me knew I shouldn't, Harry clearly hated this man, but the rest of me overshadowed the doubt. Screw Harry. I was done with him, I didn't need to take him into consideration anymore, not that he had the same courtesy with me.

I followed him back to the building that I had just escaped, I felt a pang in my heart that was ever present, no matter how hard I tried to ignore it. He opened the door to his car for me, allowing me to get in before he made his way to the driver's seat. This was irritating, I was more than capable to open my own door. I let it go. He was just being polite. He was just being polite. I repeated to myself, fighting the urge to lash out. I didn't understand why I was getting so angry, I never got like this when Harry opened my door. Ugh, Harry.

I quickly pushed any thoughts of him out of my mind, otherwise I was going to go insane.

We made the short trip to the diner, getting some hot chocolate before settling into a booth. We made small conversation, I instantly regretted lying to him. I should have just told him I wanted to go home. Under normal circumstances I would have enjoyed his company, he seemed like he was easy to talk to and get along with. I learned that he owned a couple of restaurants that my family frequented back in the states and that he was here expanding the business in England. When he asked what I did, I lied and told him I was a student, though I haven't been in a school setting in almost two years. Graduating early gave me enough time to earn multiple degrees before I had turned eighteen, but he didn't need to know that. Outside from my family and my two best friends who had put up with me while I went through the process of earning those degrees, no one but, Harry knew about all of this, well anything really. Although, Stephen was easy to talk to, he was no Harry.

"It's getting late," I mentioned as I looked at the clock on the wall in the small diner. "I should get home."

"It's barely midnight," he chuckled.